A severe allergic reaction to a bee sting and an injured tramper kept the Tauranga-based Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter busy.

The rescue helicopter was dispatched to Whangamata at 12.30pm yesterday, where a 57-year-old woman suffered a bee sting and had a severe allergic reaction.

'She was stabilised by St John paramedics before being flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment,” says pilot Todd Dunham.

'As soon as the helicopter returned to Tauranga at 3pm, a 24-year-old tramper that was at the Wairere Falls, fell and suffered a serious lower leg injury that required immediate hospital care.”

There was nowhere to land so the Port of Tauranga winch was used to winch down the paramedic to the patient, says Todd.

The helicopter landed at a nearby paddock at the Wairere Falls track carpark until the patient had been stabilised.

'The Port of Tauranga winch was used to winch the patient back to the helicopter before being flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.”